State of Georgia Archives: on Principles & Values

Jon Ossoff:
Early campaign pledge: "Make Trump Furious"

One topic Ossoff diligently avoided: Trump. Ossoff jumped into the 6th District contest earlier with a pledge to "Make Trump Furious," but the
30-year-old political newcomer has since largely distanced himself from that rhetoric in a bid to win over independents and wobbly Republicans.

Overall, Republican Karen Handel aligned herself with the president when asked about the biggest items on his agenda, but she also indicated she wasn't afraid of disagreeing with him.
She backed the Trump's proposal to temporarily block visitors from six primarily Muslim Middle East nations, but was also was critical of Trump's constant social media use.

Jon Ossoff:
Supported by national anti-Trump neophyte networks

Ossoff, one of 18 candidates on the special election ballot, was lifted from obscurity on a wave of local and national anti-Trump sentiment. He raised a jaw-dropping $8.3 million, more than quadruple the haul brought in by the next-best fund-raiser,
the Republican Dan Moody. Much of that money came from angry liberals outside Georgia hoping to send Trump a message at the ballot box.

Locally, Ossoff was aided by formal and informal networks of progressives that sprouted and grew like mushrooms
after Trump's victory. Many participants were political neophytes and women who had taken part in the anti-Trump marches after the inauguration. Hundreds of highly motivated volunteers knocked on doors, wrote postcards to voters and drove them to the
polls.

Georgia's Sixth District, which encompasses a number of majority-white suburbs north of Atlanta, is home to a well-heeled professional class. Ossoff's r‚sum‚, if not necessarily his politics, is the type that would make any soccer mom proud.

Jon Ossoff:
Campaign slogan: Make Trump Furious

Though his campaign used the slogan "Make Trump Furious," Ossoff, in person, takes the opposite of a sound-and-fury approach. As a candidate, he tends to run more cool than hot, with a deliberative, professorial style somewhat similar to Barack Obama's.
He is unabashed about his support for traditional liberal causes, including abortion rights, but in television ads, he often emphasizes more anodyne positions, like fighting wasteful spending in Washington and creating more tech jobs at home.

Karen Handel:
2010: Resigned as Secretary of State to run for Governor

Handel is a former Georgia secretary of state and chair of the Fulton County Commission who has unsuccessfully run for governor and Senate. But in recent years, Handel is probably best known for her time at Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which ended after
her effort to get the organization to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood.

She's a longtime Georgia politician. She ran for Fulton County Board of Commissioners and lost in 2002, then won a special election in 2003. Next, she became Georgia
secretary of state in 2007, before resigning to run for governor in 2010, losing a Republican primary run-off despite Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney endorsements. She ran for Senate in 2014 and came in third in that primary. One of Handel's Republican
opponents in the 6th District special election used this record against her: "Over the last 15 years, Karen Handel has run six times for five different offices. She didn't even finish the jobs we did give her, always running for the next office."

Jon Ossoff:
Interned for Rep. John Lewis and Rep. Hank Johnson

Ossoff's interest in politics was first stirred as a 17-year-old student at the Paideia School when he read John Lewis' autobiography and was moved to ask the congressman for a job. That turned into an internship in the Atlanta Democrat's Washington
office. As a student at Georgetown University, Ossoff volunteered for Hank Johnson's 2006 campaign to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney. After Johnson's congressional victory, Ossoff worked as a legislative aide to the new congressman.

Jon Ossoff:
Promises to move to 6th district after girlfriend graduates

Ossoff, a north DeKalb County native, does not reside in the 6th Congressional District, living just south of it so his girlfriend of 12 years, an Emory University medical student, can walk to work.
Members of Congress don't have to live in their districts, but Ossoff has said he will move to the 6th after she graduates.

Brian Kemp:
State Senator and Secretary of State

Brian Kemp, GBA Board Secretary, serves as Georgia's Secretary of State. Mr. Kemp, a lifelong resident of Athens, is a graduate of Clarke Central High School and of the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

The Georgia Secretary of State's office oversees elections, corporations, securities, and professional licensing boards, and also controls the state archives and the Capitol museum.

Secretary Kemp served in the Georgia State Senate from 2002-2006.

Brian, 46, is married to the former Marty Argo of Athens.
They are the proud parents of three daughters and are actively involved in various school activities with their children and various charities. The Kemps are active members of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Athens.

Jim is opposed to permitting college students to carry firearms on college campuses and against Georgia adopting "religious liberty" legislation that proved to be disastrous in Indiana in 2015 and North Carolina earlier this year.

Whether it's
addressing the Tri-State River Wars, agriculture subsidies for our hardworking farmers, or protecting our military installations & the economic impacts on local economies from the BRAC Commission, Jim will put Georgia's interests first in the US Senate.

Jason Carter:
I've passed 21 bipartisan bills in the legislature

The sharpest attacks [in the gubernatorial debate came over less lofty policy platforms. Early in the debate, Deal panned Carter as a two-term state senator who had little to show for his time in the statehouse. "You've never passed a bill.
Never offered an amendment to many of the bills you now are criticizing," he said. "Why should Georgians vote for you with this absolute lack of leadership experience?"

Carter, in a curt response, said the attack was misguided. "There are 21 bipartisan bills that have my name on them, that you signed into law,"
Carter said. "And at the same time, the attacks on my leadership are frankly just an attempt, I believe, to pass the buck."

David Perdue:
Judeo-Christian values established our government framework

Question topic: Efforts to bring Islamic law (shariah) to America do not pose a threat to our country and its Constitution.

Perdue: Strongly Disagree

Question topic: Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted
our system of limited government.

Perdue: Strongly Agree.

Question topic: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

Perdue: Based on my faith, I have deeply held personal convictions that I share with a majority of Georgians.
These principles shape my belief in the limited and clearly defined role of government. Additionally, there are certain issues on which I will not waver. I believe that we should promote a culture that values life and protects the innocent,
especially the unborn. I also believe that we must protect traditional marriage, keeping it between one man and one woman.

Democrats lost the Georgia statehouse in 2002, and the once Solid South is a distant memory for their party. It has been four decades since the elder Mr. Carter was governor, and more than three since he left the White House--"involuntarily retired," he
likes to say. "Mr. Jimmy," as locals know him, is a revered figure here. But the former president arouses intense passions among conservatives, who detest his politics. Republicans lampoon him as a failed leader.

Senator Carter is the son of Jack
Carter, the eldest of Jimmy and Rosalynn's four children. Like his grandfather, he is seeking the governorship after just four years in the State Senate.

"He wants it both ways," said one supporter of Gov. Deal. "He wants his granddaddy's
help with contributors, but when it comes to the issues, he distances himself. My guess is if his last name were Jones, you and I might not be having this conversation."

Source: N.Y. Times on 2014 Georgia gubernatorial race
Jul 26, 2014

Paul Broun:
Biblical morality is spiritual foundation of our nation

Question topic: Efforts to bring Islamic law (shariah) to America do not pose a threat to our country and its Constitution.

Broun: Strongly Disagree

Question topic: Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our
system of limited government.

Broun: Strongly Agree.

Question topic: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

Broun: I am an evangelical Christian who upholds the orthodox, cardinal doctrines of the faith. I believe in the eternal
existence of one, true, living, triune God. I believe that Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, was God manifested in human flesh and that He came to earth to be the Redeemer of the human race through His vicarious, atoning death on the Cross
as foretold in prophecy. I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. I believe that biblical morality and biblical principles are the spiritual foundation of our nation and that our Founders recognized their importance.

The battle to be the Republican candidate in the race to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss features David Perdue, Georgia Ports Authority board member, and the former CEO of Dollar General, and U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, [At the debate, Kingston] was
unapologetic in presenting himself as an experienced Washington insider, despite strong attacks from Perdue who argued only an outsider can reign in the federal debt. "I am not going to apologize for being a long time soldier in this fight,"
Kingston said, noting his strong ratings from the National Right to Life campaign and National Rifle Association. He also said that he is the best candidate to broaden the appeal of the party given his success in a more Democratic leaning district and
willingness to engage liberal media. "The reality is MSNBC is where you have to go sometimes," he argued.

Perdue argued that "politicians are like diapers" and need to be changed frequently. "We look like Democrat lite," he complained.

Source: The Hill e-zine on 2014 Georgia Senate debate
Apr 19, 2014

Jack Kingston:
Broaden appeal of GOP by engaging liberal media

The battle to be the Republican candidate in the race to replace retiring Sen. Saxby Chambliss features David Perdue and U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, [At the debate, Kingston] was unapologetic in presenting himself as an experienced
Washington insider, despite strong attacks from Perdue who argued only an outsider can reign in the federal debt. "I am not going to apologize for being a long time soldier in this fight," Kingston said, noting his strong ratings from the
National Federation of Independent Businesses, National Right to Life campaign and National Rifle Association. He also said that he is the best candidate to broaden the appeal of the party given his success in a more Democratic leaning district and
willingness to engage liberal media. "The reality is MSNBC is where you have to go sometimes," he argued.

Perdue argued that "politicians are like diapers" and need to be changed frequently. "We look like Democrat lite," he complained.

Source: The Hill e-zine on 2014 Georgia Senate debate
Apr 19, 2014

Michelle Nunn:
Daughter of Sen. Sam Nunn: legacy of bipartisanship

Nunn was met with questions and anecdotes about her father, as she often is on the campaign trail. Former four-term Sen. Sam Nunn was the last Georgia Democrat to win re-election to a Senate seat, in 1990, and his legacy of bipartisanship is still
revered by voters of both parties.

"It gives me an entry point with people who remember my dad," Nunn said of her last name. "It gives me a hearing. And then as I talk to a lot of young people, they're interested in my non-profit career and work with
volunteers. So I think I'm able to have an entry point with voters in both ways."

Never far removed from the tongues of Democrats and Republicans alike in attendance were comparisons between the younger and elder Nunns. "She has the stamina and the
tenacity that he has," said a Senate aide to Nunn's father for 14 years. [The elder Nunn] "could speak up to his party when he needed to and cross the aisle to work with Republicans. I think Michelle can do that, too--she says she can."

Source: Rollcall e-zine on 2014 Georgia Senate race
Apr 17, 2014

David Perdue:
CEO of Dollar General & Reebok; cousin of Gov. Sonny Perdue

Perdue, the former CEO of Dollar General and Reebok and cousin of former GOP Gov. Sonny Perdue, is positioning himself as a relatively non-ideological outsider. He has been critical of Senator
Ted Cruz's recent efforts to use the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip, for example, which he warns could frighten investors. While strongly opposed to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law, he's said that
he favors working with Democrats to amend it instead of the usual repeal calls. "I don't believe I have to give up my conservative ideals to offer up a compromise position in order to get progress," he told
MSNBC. "I'd rather take an 85% solution on the economic issues then sit here and get 0%."

Derrick Grayson:
100% of the Constitution, 100% of the time

Grayson's clear, simple message of strict adherence to constitutional principles resonates with most Georgia Republicans, especially given the bad taste that outgoing incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss has left in their collective mouth.
Punctuated by the catchy slogan, "100% of the Constitution, 100% of the time," Grayson's social media sobriquet, "Minister of Truth," embodies both his actual experience as a Christian minister and his commitment to bringing the truth about the
political process.

"There's really not much difference in the agendas of the political royals, regardless of their party. I'm talking about the Republicans and the Democrats. And I've found that they like to keep us divided," he explains. "Because
the longer we're distracted, the more they can push forward their agendas, and we're not any more the wiser." Political 'royals,' according to Grayson, are the "political elites who pull the strings."

Source: CommDigiNews.com on 2016 Georgia Senate race
Mar 24, 2014

Derrick Grayson:
Social positions based on strong Christian values

Although Grayson bases his personal position on social issues on his strong Christian values, he refuses to be pulled into the endlessly petty social slog that has tripped up fellow candidates like Rep. Paul Broun and Rep. Phil
Gingrey. "We're not there to deal with the social issues of the country, as senators," he explains. "That's not our call. Our call is to protect the rights of the states."

Source: CommDigiNews.com on 2016 Georgia Senate race
Mar 24, 2014

Paul Broun:
Lost campaigns in 1990, 1992 & 1996 before winning in 2006

If At First You Don't Succeed... The CQ Roll Call members database reveals that 18 members of the 113th Congress mounted multiple unsuccessful campaigns before finally winning a seat.

AMONG TWO-TIME LOSERS:

Rep. Steve Stockman, R-TX, elected in
1994, lost primary in 1990, general election in 1992.

Sen. Tom Udall, D-NM, elected to the House in 1998, lost primary in 1982, general election in 1988

THREE-TIME LOSERS:

Rep. Paul Broun, R-GA, elected in 2006, lost general election in
1990, primary in 1992, Senate primary in 1996

Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-HI, elected in 2010, lost primary in 2006, special elections in 2003 and 2010

Rep. Collin Peterson, D-MN, elected in 1990, lost primaries in 1982 and 1988, general elections in
1984 and 1986.

Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-VT, elected to the House in 1990, lost general elections for the Senate in 1972 and 1974 and for the House in 1988.

Rep. Juan Vargas, D-CA, elected in 2012, lost primaries in 1992, 1996 and 2006.

Paul Broun:
Separation of church and state is a mistaken idea

Broun, in a speech from the House floor, mixed personal religious testimony with Christian-nation claims. Broun's remarks start with a core Christian Reconstructionist principle: that God ordained family, church and government and gave each a specific
area of authority. But, he says, because of "this mistaken idea that we're supposed to have a separation of church and state, the family and the church have abdicated a lot of its duties over to government." (Reconstructionists believe that God did not
authorize government to be involved, for example, in education or the reduction of poverty; that role is meant for family and church.)

Broun calls the Bible "the basis of our nation," and says the fact that we aren't running society accordingly will
mean the death of our Republic. The founding fathers, he says, were "Bible-believing Christians" who believed that "every aspect of life should follow the dictates of God's inerrant word. That's what I believe in. That's what we should all believe in."

Jack Kingston:
Endorsed by McIntosh County Commissioner over Handel

The Senate campaign of Jack Kingston challenged an endorsement cited by GOP rival Karen Handel. Kelly Spratt, the chairman of the McIntosh County Commission, said: "While I did actively support Handel's primary bid for governor in 2010, I have not
endorsed her Senate campaign and have in no way given her permission for my name to be used. I fully support Jack Kingston."

The Handel campaign responded by releasing two emails from Spratt. The second email, dated May 9, assesses Kingston's strengths
and weaknesses: "Kingston is a fence-rider and has no track record of making strong stands. Karen, you and I are both anti-establishment candidates. If you choose to run for Senate, all of your announced opponents are beltway boys."

The Kingston
campaign responded by saying, "Many Georgians have come to the conclusion that Jack Kingston is the most consistent conservative in the race. Our growing coalition of support most certainly includes those who previously supported our opponents."

Karen Handel:
Endorsed by McIntosh County Commissioner before Kingston

The Senate campaign of Jack Kingston challenged an endorsement cited by GOP rival Karen Handel. Kelly Spratt, the chairman of the McIntosh County Commission, said: "While I did actively support Handel's primary bid for governor in 2010, I have not
endorsed her Senate campaign and have in no way given her permission for my name to be used. I fully support Jack Kingston."

The Handel campaign responded by releasing two emails from Spratt. Both were written after Kingston joined the race.
The first, dated May 2, said, "I campaigned for Karen in the 2010 election and she carried my county. Please let her know that I will be very happy to help her if she decides to run for the Senate seat."

The second email, dated May 9, assesses
Kingston's strengths and weaknesses: "Kingston is a fence-rider and has no track record of making strong stands. Karen, you and I are both anti-establishment candidates. If you choose to run for Senate, all of your announced opponents are beltway boys."

Alan Keyes:
Separation of church and state is phony and is a weapon

The separation of church and state is claimed to be found in the Constitution. With respect to this phony doctrine of separation, they have turned our reverence for law into a weapon against our reverence for God. It is time we awaken to this fraud and
reassert the truth that was right there to be seen in all our beginnings when our Founders declared, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.”